Debates of March 14, 2007 (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS the Official Languages Act gives Members of the Legislative Assembly the right to use any of the official languages of the Northwest Territories in its debates;

AND WHEREAS this Assembly is committed to the preservation, development and enhancement of its official languages;

AND WHEREAS there is currently no order of the day that allows Members to acknowledge significant milestones and accomplishments in the lives of their constituents;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Rule 36(3) and (4) be deleted in their entirety and the following be substituted:

36

(3)

Statements made under Rule 36(1):

in the case of a Member speaking in one official language, shall not exceed two and one half minutes;

in the case of a Member speaking in more than one official language, shall not exceed three minutes, and that the Member shall speak at least thirty seconds in the second official language;

shall be confined to one matter; and

shall be limited to one statement per day by any Member.

(4) A Member wishing to make a Member’s statement in more than one official language must notify the Speaker, in writing, at least one hour prior to making his or her statement.

(5) A Minister may make a statement in accordance with Rule 36(1) but the statement must not relate to his or her responsibility as a Minister.

And further that the following rule entitled Acknowledgements be added immediately after Rule 36.1:

36.2(1)

Under the item Acknowledgements, the Member may make a statement recognizing a significant milestone or accomplishment of a constituent.

(2)

Acknowledgements made under Rule 36.2(1)

shall not exceed thirty seconds;

shall be limited to one acknowledgement per day by any Member;

shall be provided in writing to the Speaker at least one hour prior to the commencement of the sitting day;

shall be allowed at the sole discretion of the Speaker; and

shall be confined to the Member’s own constituents.

And further that Rule 27(1), (2) and (3) be amended by adding the item entitled Acknowledgements to the orders of the day, to immediately follow the item entitled Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried.

Motions. First reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Bell.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to proceed with the first reading of Bill 7, Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act. Thank you.